Emmetsburg goes all out for Irish holiday
St. Patty’s celebration plans pot o’ gold funBy SANDY MICKELSON, Messenger staff writer
POSTED: March 5, 2008
Fact Box
Schedule of EventsSaturday
8 p.m., comedians Josh Alton and Kris Shaw, Wild Rose Casino, $10.
Sunday
3 p.m., Junior Miss Pageant, Corrigan Hall at Holy Family Catholic Church, $3.
4 to 6:30 p.m., Miss Shamrock supper, Holy Family parish center, $5.
7 to 9 p.m., Miss Shamrock Pageant, Corrigan Hall, $5.
March 13
2 to 4 p.m., St. Pat’s Open House, 1001 Broadway, public invited.
March 14
2 to 4 p.m., introduction of guests and dignitaries to the public, Heritage Center, 2008 10th St.
2:45 to 6:15 p.m., Irish dance lessons, middle school gymnasium, $7.
5 to 7 p.m., fish fry, VFW Hall, 3205 Main St., $7.50.
7 p.m., talent show, middle school auditorium.
8 p.m., Ceili Fun Night, VFW Hall.
March 15
8:30 a.m., O’Round the Loch Scholarship Run, Smith Wellness Center, www.iowalakes.edu.
10 a.m., Team Joker Bike Ride, registration at 9 a.m. at The Office, 1007 Broadway, $25, includes T-shirt.
10 a.m., introduction to the Irish language, Heritage Center, free.
10 a.m. to noon, Clydesdale wagon rides, Courthouse Square.
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., face painting, Chamber of Commerce, 1121 Broadway, freewill offering.
10 a.m. through the afternoon, exotic animal petting zoo, Courthouse Square.
10:30 a.m., The Amazing Magic Show, middle school auditorium, $3.
10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Irish stew served at Multipurpose Center, 2008 11th St., freewill offering.
Noon to 4 p.m., inflatables for young children, Courthouse Square.
Noon, food vendors, north side of Courthouse Square.
1 p.m., pre-parade.
1:30 p.m., St. Patrick’s Day parade heading south along Broadway.
3 p.m., Robert Emmet reception, Heritage Center.
3 to 5 p.m., Clydesdale wagon rides, Courthouse Square.
4 p.m., The Amazing Magic Show, middle school auditorium, $3.
March 16
8 a.m., Rotary pancake breakfast, VFW Hall.
Noon to 3 p.m., trap shoot, Sportsmans Park. Don Bruch, (712) 852-3240.
1 p.m., Silly Sally, middle school, $2.
6 p.m., banquet, Iowa Lakes Community College, farewell to Irish dignitary David Stanton, $15 prime rib.
‘‘New this year, we’ve hired professional dancers from the Ames area, Gil and Patsy McNaughton, and they’re teaching about 40 girls to dance,’’ said Billie Jo Hoffman, manager of the St. Pat’s Association on Main Street. ‘‘The Association is paying for it. They just pay $7, and that’s for the T-shirt they get.’’
The dancers will get uniforms, and 18 of the older girls will represent Emmetsburg by dancing twice on March 12 at the state capitol, once in the Rotunda and also in the House of Representatives.
‘‘They’ll have green skirts, a sash and a white shirt, and the older girls are having their hair done in rag-style curls,’’ Hoffman said. ‘‘It’s pretty impressive, I think.’’
Dancers will perform at the Ceili Fun Night on March 14 at the VFW Hall and during the parade on March 15. They’ll also perform during the Junior Miss and Miss Shamrock Pageants on Sunday.
Ceili Fun Night ‘‘is impromptu,’’ Hoffman said. ‘‘Anyone who want to, gets up and sings. It’s a family event where they can just go and meet with old friends coming in for the weekend. Sometimes there’s dancing. It’s just kind of a relaxing evening.’’
Also new to the annual St. Pat’s celebration are a four-horse Clydesdale hitch from Zearing and Silly Sally, the clown.
The Clydesdale hitch will give rides in the Courthouse Square, both before the parade and after the parade — 10 a.m. to noon and again from 3 to 5 p.m.
Silly Sally will perform at 1 p.m. March 16 in the middle school auditorium, offering a 45-minute show for children 2 and up. She is considered ‘‘a certified laugh leader with music, magic, puppets and kids involvement.’’ Her show is $2 at the door.
In 1962, Emmetsburg and Dublin, Ireland, were declared sister cities, and since that time, Emmetsburg has played host to a member of the Irish Parliament, who reigns over the St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
While the Irishmen are in Iowa, they also visit the Iowa Legislature and are invited to address both sessions.
The www.Emmetsburg-IrishGifts.com Web site displays information on this year’s Irish dignitary David Stanton, a Fine Gael member of the Irish Parliament representing County Cork East, who will represent the Republic of Ireland for the 2008 St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in Emmetsburg.
Born in County Cork, he now lives in Coppingerstown, Midleton, County Cork. He and his wife, Mary, have four sons. She will accompany him to Emmetsburg.
Stanton holds a bachelor of arts degree in sociology and mathematical science, diplomas in career guidance and educational administration from University College Cork, more often known as National University of Ireland, Cork. He was also conferred with an Honours Masters Degree in Education by the National University of Ireland in 1996.
Before being elected to the Dail in 1997 and re-elected in 2002 and 2007, he was a woodwork and technical drawing teacher and a career guidance counselor in St. Colman’s Community College in Midleton.
Stanton was the Fine Gael Front Bench spokesman on public enterprise, agriculture and food and was the party’s spokesman on labor affairs, consumer rights and trade (1997-2000).
Contact Sandy Mickelson at (515) 573-2141 or smickelson@messengernews.net
